1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle operation supporting device and a vehicle operation supporting system. In particular, the invention relates to a vehicle operation supporting device and a vehicle operation supporting system which inform pedestrians, drivers of other vehicles, and the like of the existence of a self-owned vehicle and which radiate predetermined light beams onto a road surface so as to let a driver of the self-owned vehicle grasp a traveling path thereof as an actual image.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the related art, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-238307, there has been known a vehicle operation supporting device that radiates light beams that can be recognized by human eyes onto a road surface. If light beams are thus radiated onto a road surface in a running state, a driver of a self-owned vehicle can grasp a traveling path thereof as an actual image. Hence, the driver of the self-owned vehicle can acquire information that is useful in driving it. Also, others can visually recognize representation of the light beams radiated from the vehicle on the road surface. Thus, even if those who have seen representation of the light beams on the road surface cannot see the vehicle itself, they can be informed that the vehicle exists nearby. Accordingly, the above-mentioned device of the related art makes it possible to suitably assist a driver in driving and to swiftly inform others of the existence of a self-owned vehicle. Therefore, it becomes possible to enhance security in driving the vehicle.
Even if the light beams have been radiated onto the road surface, representation of a pattern that is formed on the road surface by the light beams may become difficult to visually recognize owing to brightness in an area surrounding the vehicle, a chromatic relationship with the road surface, and the like. If such an event occurs, the driver of the vehicle has difficulty in visually recognizing representation of the light beams on the road surface and ends up finding it difficult to recognize a traveling path of the self-owned vehicle or the existence of other vehicles. Because the above-mentioned device of the related art does not take this event into account in this respect, the driver suffers inconvenience in visually recognizing representation of light beams radiated from the vehicle on a road surface.
Further, in a construction wherein light beams that can be visually recognized by others are radiated onto a road surface as in the case of the above-mentioned device of the related art, if a pedestrian stands between a vehicle and a radiation range thereof, the light beams threaten to directly stream into the eyes of the pedestrian, drivers of other vehicles, and the like. Also, if light beams are radiated onto a road surface that is wet with rain or the like, high-level reflected light threatens to stream into the eyes of pedestrians and the like. However, since light beams are radiated without taking the above-mentioned circumstances into account in the above-mentioned device of the related art, there are some cases where pedestrians and the like are dazzled in visually recognizing representation of light beams radiated from the vehicle on a road surface.